The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording an image by ejecting ink to a recording medium, and a method for recording an image on a recording medium.
A recording apparatus (inkjet printer) is conventionally known which ejects ink to a recording medium (e.g. recording paper of A-4 size, B5-size, etc.), while conveying the recording medium, to record an image. In such a recording apparatus, the following two operations are alternately repeated. One operation is ejecting ink from a nozzle array, composed of a plurality of nozzles arranged along a conveying direction (sub-scanning direction) of the recording medium, based upon image data representing an image while scanning a recording head having the nozzle array in a direction (main-scanning direction) orthogonal to the conveying direction (sub-scanning direction) of the recording medium, to record part of the image in strip shape. The other operation is conveying a prescribed amount of recording medium. By the alternative repetition of these operations, the image is recorded on the recording medium.
In recent years, there has also been a recording apparatus capable of recording an image on the whole area of a recording medium without providing any margins thereon, namely performing a frameless recording. In the case of performing such a frameless recording, if ink is ejected to a position protruding from the recording medium, the recording medium is stained with ink as well as ink is wasted. It is therefore preferable to allow ink to be ejected only to the recording medium. However, if the recording medium is conveyed in an inclined state for some reason, the position of the recording medium is displaced from the assumed position thereof, which may lead to occurrence of an empty space on the recording medium and ejection of ink to a position protruding from the recording medium.
Hence there is a recording apparatus provided with a sensor in a carriage for detecting the end edge of the recording medium in a width direction. The end edge of the recording medium in a width direction is detected using the sensor so that recording is performed within the range of each end edge of the recording medium (cf. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 2003-53953).
Further, there is also a recording apparatus comprising two oblique movement detecting sensors with prescribed intervals therebetween on a platen. When oblique movement of the recording medium is detected by the oblique movement detecting sensor, image data is rotationally converted in accordance with the angle of the detected oblique movement (cf. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-127392).